PACIFIC RIM : RAJAH

Chapter 23

The battle had begun. Rajah and Crimson Typhoon took the forefront, trying to lure the massive Kaiju into position. The ocean churned violently around them as the monster roared, its massive form creating waves with each movement. The visibility was already poor, and fighting in such conditions made everything ten times harder.

Shane, piloting Rajah, gritted his teeth as he analyzed the situation. The Kaiju was enormous, larger than any they had faced before. "How the fuck is this thing so big?" Shane shouted through the comms. "It feels like I'm cutting a goddamn mountain!"

Just as he spoke, a tentacle shot toward Rajah's side at an alarming speed. With quick reflexes, Shane swung Rajah's blade, slicing the appendage in half before it could do any damage. Black, viscous Kaiju blood spilled into the water, creating an ominous cloud.

"Herc, what's the plan after this?" Shane asked as he dodged another swipe from the Kaiju. The team needed a strategy, and they needed it fast.

Herc, leading the operation, quickly relayed the best course of action. "Missiles won't do much here! The water pressure will slow them down, and the explosion debris will make it impossible to see! We have to go in close and take its head off in a joint attack!"

The logic was sound. Fighting at a distance would only prolong the battle and put them at greater risk. They had to be decisive. But for the plan to work, someone had to bait the Kaiju into the perfect position.

Shane exhaled sharply. "I should be the bait. Rajah is the most agile Jaeger here. I can keep it busy while you three prepare the strike."

There was a moment of hesitation over the comms, but they all knew he was right. No other Jaeger could maneuver as swiftly underwater as Rajah.

"Alright," Herc finally said. "Be careful. We only have one shot at this."

And so the real plan began.

Shane took a deep breath and launched a small missile at the Kaiju, hitting it squarely in the chest. The beast roared in anger, its glowing eyes locking onto Rajah. Without hesitation, it surged forward, charging like an unstoppable force.

"Shit! It's fast!" Shane muttered, dodging at the last second. The Kaiju's momentum sent it barreling past him, creating a powerful underwater current. Using the environment to his advantage, Shane led it toward the designated trap zone where cables had been strategically placed. The others were already in position, waiting for the right moment to strike.

The Kaiju, enraged by Shane's attacks, let out an earth-shaking roar before firing a concentrated energy beam from its mouth. The attack came out of nowhere, and Shane had only seconds to react.

"Move! Move! Move!" Herc shouted.

At the last possible second, Shane propelled Rajah sideways, narrowly avoiding the deadly blast. The force of the beam illuminated the dark ocean, sending shockwaves rippling outward.

"Damn! That was close!" Shane growled, reorienting himself. He could see the Kaiju preparing another attack, but it was exactly where they wanted it.

"Now!" Herc commanded.

The cables snapped into place, wrapping tightly around the Kaiju's limbs. The creature thrashed violently, but the more it struggled, the tighter the restraints became. It was trapped.

"Go for the neck!" Herc ordered.

Gipsy Danger and Eureka charged forward. The Kaiju screamed as the Jaegers drove their blades deep into its thick hide. The monster flailed, shaking the entire ocean around them, but it was futile.

Shane saw his opportunity. He gripped his Jaeger's massive blade and activated its full energy output.

"Time to end this!" he roared as he surged forward. With one final, decisive strike, Rajah's blade cut clean through the Kaiju's neck. The beast let out one last blood-curdling shriek before its head detached completely, floating lifelessly in the dark abyss.

For a moment, there was silence.

Then, Tendo's voice crackled over the comms. "Holy shit... You did it!"

The pilots took a moment to breathe, exhaustion washing over them.

"Damn right we did," Shane muttered, catching his breath. Herc ordered while sighing "Alright, regroup. We still have a mission to complete."

The battle was won, but the war was far from over.